Death and the Publican

Nicole Hall, Linda Levin, Richard Gorell, Victor Hentzen

At his bar in the afterlife, the lonely Publican trades drinks for stories. Because most of his patrons lived lives “blinkered by dogmas, ideologies, customs, and sheer pointless lassitude,” their tales are usually uninspiring. But this dark night, Death drops off a man crackling with so much life force that he got to live twice. “When he opens his yap, you tingle at the touch of a lover’s lips, squint your eyes at the sun risin’ red in the morning, and drink cold water from a sweet well.” Does this rough and ready “Twice Mortal Man” have the grit and guile to solve our most impenetrable mystery? Can he show us why we exist?

2007 Production

Tara Lane Productions presented the world premiere of Death and the Publican at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri on the evening of January 6, 2007. The play was directed by Stuart Rider, Jaclyn Larson was stage manager, Tyler Miller was production manager, Patrick Farmer was technical director and lighting designer, David Hawkinson designed the set. Ashley Turner designed the sound, and Nigel Delahoy created the graphics.

Cast

Dana Thompson, Amanda McCoy, Rachel May Roberts, Linda Levin, Nigel Delahoy, Herman Johansen*, and Evan Absher.

*Equity actor appeared with permission of Actors Equity Association

2010 Production

Tara Lane Productions presented Death and the Publican at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre in Kansas City as part of the 2010 Kansas City Fringe Festival. Diane Bulan directed, R. J. Parish was stage manager and set designer.

Cast

Marcie Ramirez, Jack McCord, Victor Hentzen, Aaron Smithson, Nicole Hall, Linda Levin, and Richard Gorell.

A Sample Of Death and the Publican

What the critics say

“A philosophical comedy about the afterlife…sturdily built and polished…worthy of old school Woody Allen.” Alan Scherstuhl, The Pitch, January 11, 2007

“…an intriguing philosophical essay on an imagined afterlife, which takes the form of a pub where it’s always 8 o’clock.” Robert Trussell, Kansas City Star, August 1, 2010.

“This romp through the ethereal plane is fascinating, almost irreverent were it not so profound…This one shines in content, direction, and performance.” Reviewasaurus, KCStage, July 27, 2010